ELC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What are the levels in the ELC and how are students placed at a particular level?

There are four levels in the ELC: Foundation, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, and Upper Intermediate. ELC students are given a placement exam to determine their appropriate level. Students do not normally move up from one level to the next. Rather, they remain designated at the level at which they entered the ELC. Students do, however, progress from one semester to another, while remaining designated as a Foundation, or an Intermediate, student, for example. This is because each category of student, from Foundation to Upper Intermediate, has its own specific instructional needs.

2. What must students do to maximize their learning in the ELC, and to increase the speed at which they can be promoted to their first year courses?

All ELC students are expected to attend classes regularly, and punctually. Students are also expected to complete all homework assignments, participate in all class activities, to study for quizzes and exams, and to make use of office hours to meet with their instructors, as necessary. Students who do all of these things are normally successful in the ELC, and are promoted to their first year courses in a reasonable amount of time. Obviously, for Foundation level students, this “reasonable amount of time” will be longer than for Upper Intermediate students. The number one reason why ELC students fail to be promoted is that they have neglected to attend classes in the mistaken belief that they can effectively study for a proficiency exam on their own. For many students, this retards their progress in English, and some students actually go backward once they stop attending classes.

3. What happens to students who are unable to be promoted to first-year courses after one year of ELC study?

Foundation and Pre-Intermediate students who do not achieve the required proficiency exam scores during their first year in the ELC will be placed in the Extension Program, provided that they have at least a 2.0 GPA. Other students will be re-integrated into ELC classes in their second year. All students, including returning students, must still meet the proficiency requirements in order to be promoted.

4. When will proficiency exams be given?

The Koç University Academic Calendar – available on the university website, -- provides the dates for the administration of proficiency exams. ELC students may also submit scores for certain proficiency exams administered outside of Koç University. See the ELC homepage for information about these exams.

5. Is there a make-up exam for KUEPE for students with Medical reports?

There is no make-up for KUEPE exams throughout the year.

6. What are the attendance policies in the ELC?

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of the class time for each course they are taking. Students whose unexcused absences exceed 10% of class time will automatically receive a 5 point deduction in their final grade for each unexcused absence that exceeds the limit. In order to be counted present for class, a student may miss no more than 10 minutes of class time. Students are granted excused absences for the following reasons: Student illness, as documented by a medical report approved by the university clinic Student suspension from the university due to disciplinary measures Participation in university activities at the request of university authorities Compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control Students who are absent due to compelling circumstances beyond their control, such as a severe personal or family crisis, should as soon as possible present documentation as to the nature of this crisis to the ELC administration, which will then evaluate whether the crisis merits an excused absence.

7. Under what circumstances, if any, may I take leave from the ELC?

All requests to take leave from the ELC should be submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the form of a petition explaining why the student wishes to take leave.

8. If I am unsure about any ELC policies, whom should I contact for clarification?

All ELC students have access to the ELC Program Description under the “Program” link on this webpage. The Program Description serves the same function as a Student Handbook. . Information about proficiency exam dates may be found on the Academic Calendar, and about proficiency exam requirements on the ELC webpage. All other questions should be directed to the ELC administration, rather than to individual ELC instructors. Other Koç students -- whether current or former ELC students -- are the least reliable source of information about ELC policies and requirements. Please go only to the ELC administration if you have questions not answered by the ELC Program Description or webpage.

9. Is it compulsory to attend the ELC Summer School?

All students, who have not met the requirements to graduate from the ELC as of the end of the Spring Semester must attend the Summer School. Summer School point average is a component of the ELC Grade Point Average (GPA). There is no tuition for the ELC Summer School.

10. What is a GPA?

GPA is a cumulative average of students’ grades during the entire period of study in the ELC, and is weighted according to the number of credit hours per course. In order to qualify to take the KUEPE examination, a student must have a GPA of at least 2.0.